Is it cool to be drunk?

[AJI]

Was just wondering why in the UK is it usually seen to be 'cool' to be drunk?

Is it a fair assumption that the UK is the ONLY country where you specifically go out for the purpose of getting drunk in the persuit of a 'happy' time?

ie. 'happy' = drunk ???


And is it also a fair statement to say that the UK is the ONLY country whereby the people CAN NOT take their alcohol properly without thinking they become the hardest person on the earth and loose all self respect and any respect for others?



Reason for asking this is because some friends have recently come back from Oktoberfest in Germany where they drink a huge amount of beer over the course of numerous days.
Other members of my family have also been to oktoberfest on previous years and both them and my friends have all mentioned how the atmosphere was very relaxed and party-like with absolutely no trouble at all.

It would be a fair assumption to say that such a drinking festival would never work in the UK due to the primary reason being that the people here can not 'get along' when alcohol is consumed.


I've also been to Europe and the far-east and have been part of numerous good drinking sessions....but its only the UK it seems to me that people go on a 'mission' to get drunk and think its 'cool'.
In the other parts of the world I've been it is seen as a happy normal social and non-hero thing to be able to drink a pint or two. And boasting about how a person could drink 30 pints and have a fight with a thin bloke on the way home would be seen as highly ignorant and done by someone who is lacking even basic intelligence and self respect.



So what are the views of the general pistonhead public??

[TheEnd]

America does have a similar attitude, think of the college films where the 30year old actors head out to get "wasted"

I've no idea if they go around and tell everyone how drunk they got at the weekend on a Monday morning though.
It's like a badge of honour to wake up covered in vomit in a shopping trolley.

[escargot]

Primarily due to the stupid attitude towards underage drinking I reckon. You'll notice in countries where such draconian laws aren't enforced that the attitude of young people towards alcohol is far more mature.

That isn't to say that people don't get pissed and fight, it's just lessened.

[Digger]

Up to a certain age its probably "cool" to get at the least, merry. Beyond that and beyond a certain age it gets progressively uncool!

I have HAD to stop drinking very recently as my behaviour and thinking was getting skewed and did something one night that was really quite stupid. I'm now 40 and at the moment alcohol does not sit comfortably with my conscience.

I have an inkling other PHers might disagree. . .

[Fittster]

There's only a few Med countries where people don't go out to get pissed IMHO.

Germany, Eastern Europe, Russia, Japan, scandinavia = Let's get smashed.

[OnTheOverrun]

AJI said:

Is it a fair assumption that the UK is the ONLY country where you specifically go out for the purpose of getting drunk in the persuit of a 'happy' time?

and

AJI said:

And is it also a fair statement to say that the UK is the ONLY country whereby the people CAN NOT take their alcohol properly without thinking they become the hardest person on the earth and loose all self respect and any respect for others?

No it isn't. I've been to lots of countries where getting plastered is part of the culture.

Comparing Oktoberfest with the High Street on a Saturday night is like comparing the CAMRA beer tent with US spring break.

[Herbie58]

It's not cool and it's not clever. It just takes most of us a few messy escapades to learn that.

After that most of us are more than capable of going out to enjoy ourselves without having to fight, have hysterics or do anything stupid enough to encourage the long arm of the law.

Usual small minority ruin it for the vast majority

[jeebus]

Digger said:

Up to a certain age its probably "cool" to get at the least, merry. Beyond that and beyond a certain age it gets progressively uncool!

I have HAD to stop drinking very recently as my behaviour and thinking was getting skewed and did something one night that was really quite stupid. I'm now 40 and at the moment alcohol does not sit comfortably with my conscience.

I have an inkling other PHers might disagree. . .

I don't disagree, I haven't been drunk for about 2 years now and I don't miss it one bit. I went on a stag do to Newcastle about 18 months ago and when you have only had a few beers rather than being leathered you see it in a totally different light.

[Catz]

Perhaps those who are "happy drunks" are the only ones to get let loose?

I regularly meet with my friends and get "happy drunk". We're not abusive, our aim is to chat to other "happy drunk" people, have fun then go to someone's home to get even "happier drunk".

I'd guess abusive drunk people might be abusive sober people if the occasion arose.

[69 coupe]

Catz said:

Perhaps those who are "happy drunks" are the only ones to get let loose?

I regularly meet with my friends and get "happy drunk". We're not abusive, our aim is to chat to other "happy drunk" people, have fun then go to someone's home to get even "happier drunk".

I'd guess abusive drunk people might be abusive sober people if the occasion arose.

I like that hick!

[Fleegle]

Drinking gets out of hand in most countries (obviously I'm excluding the countries than ban drink even though it happens). However, you will notice that certain countries have police forces that take chavvy behavior in their stride and deal with it accordingly and the general public learn to be a little more restained.

Unfortunately, thanks to likes of shami whats her face and the likes of Liberty, our police force have to fill out a form in duplicate before they can even take their fking pencil out of their pocket, never mind wave their truncheon about like their meditteranean counterparts who, funnily enough, seem to keep their drinking community under control.

[moleamol]

Catz said:

Perhaps those who are "happy drunks" are the only ones to get let loose?

I regularly meet with my friends and get "happy drunk". We're not abusive, our aim is to chat to other "happy drunk" people, have fun then go to someone's home to get even "happier drunk".

I'd guess abusive drunk people might be abusive sober people if the occasion arose.

Me and my friends are the same and always have been. These are the same people from school and college and we're now all around 30. We can get remarkably hammered and still not be complete tools. I can only assume that people who are dheads when drunk are only less so when sober. We even manage to go on holidays with a lot of us to places currently being ruined by stag dos and actually get on with other people there.

[collateral]

I'm trying to redress the balance by getting completely gazebo'd and then behaving like a proper gent

[Papoo]

Fleegle said:

Drinking gets out of hand in most countries (obviously I'm excluding the countries than ban drink even though it happens). However, you will notice that certain countries have police forces that take chavvy behavior in their stride and deal with it accordingly and the general public learn to be a little more restained.

Unfortunately, thanks to likes of shami whats her face and the likes of Liberty, our police force have to fill out a form in duplicate before they can even take their fking pencil out of their pocket, never mind wave their truncheon about like their meditteranean counterparts who, funnily enough, seem to keep their drinking community under control.

Pretty much this..

It's the pikeys/chavs/bad drunks that do give having a couple too many a bad name. I never go out with the intention of getting drunk. I often end up a little worse for wear, absolutely. But, in other countries, wkerish behaviour is stamped on by the authorities, and not in the UK.

It is quite eye-opening to say the least; I come from Newcastle, and now live in Scottsdale, AZ. Scottsdale is a real nightlife hotspot, not unlike Newcastle. But, when walking around at 3:00am a little under the influence, it genuinely is not an intimidating place to be. There are single women walking around, groups of guys, all walking around safely. They may be drunk and a bit noisey, but they're not like the morons you can't avoid in the UK. If you do step out of line, you'll be dealt with fairly forcefully. Of course, if you head into the hood, you may get your head blown off, but that's something you can avoid, unlike the UK, where hoodies plied with K cider are looking for trouble.

I came back to Newcastle a few months ago, and pretty much had to diffuse a situation twice, once involving me, in the 45 or so minutes from leaving a bar to getting some food. Unbelievable, and a real shame. Frankly, I'd be embarassed to bring many of my new-world friends for a night out in my hometown.

But to answer the question - no, it is uncool to be drunk. It happens, we've all had a couple more than we should have, and it can be just part of the evenings fun-path, but I can see no way in which it would be cool to have lost your judgement and impaired your senses. I've done it, but it wasn't cool!

[RickRolled]

Un cool, majority just go out and dont want to stop drinking untill they pass out by some kebab shop.

Have a look at this link, cool or not you decide.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maciejdakowicz/sets/1...

[Shay HTFC]

For kids of course it is cool to be drunk. Just like it is cool to be naughty. It is cool to do whatever authority doesn't want you to do. And because of our outdated view towards children and alcohol it stays that way.

When you get older, being naughty and getting hammered become less and less cool except for what may be referred to as chavs.

With regards to getting plastered, beer drinking countries (northern Europe) tend to get plastered and wine drinking countries (southern Europe) tend to see alcohol as something to savour.

That's why comparing England to France doesn't work. Totally different cultures. Compare us to Germany / Scandinavia / Eastern Europe. I agree however on people in the UK often being angry drunks. Again, I fear this is just culture.

[Papoo]

Shay HTFC said:

For kids of course it is cool to be drunk. Just like it is cool to be naughty. It is cool to do whatever authority doesn't want you to do. And because of our outdated view towards children and alcohol it stays that way.

When you get older, being naughty and getting hammered become less and less cool except for what may be referred to as chavs.

With regards to getting plastered, beer drinking countries (northern Europe) tend to get plastered and wine drinking countries (southern Europe) tend to see alcohol as something to savour.

That's why comparing England to France doesn't work. Totally different cultures. Compare us to Germany / Scandinavia / Eastern Europe. I agree however on people in the UK often being angry drunks. Again, I fear this is just culture.

Quite right. Though getting drunk in Germany is still a much more civilised experience. The streets may be pouring with drunks, who are noisey and typically post-party, they are not aggressive aholes like they are in the UK.

You do raise another good point about the beverages, though. Out at a restaurant in France, it's not uncommon to see a young child enjoying a glass of wine with dinner. You'd have your kids taken away (and the restaurant shut down) if you gave your kids a pint in a Doncaster restaurant!

[Famous Graham]

Papoo said:

Fleegle said:

Drinking gets out of hand in most countries (obviously I'm excluding the countries than ban drink even though it happens). However, you will notice that certain countries have police forces that take chavvy behavior in their stride and deal with it accordingly and the general public learn to be a little more restained.

Unfortunately, thanks to likes of shami whats her face and the likes of Liberty, our police force have to fill out a form in duplicate before they can even take their fking pencil out of their pocket, never mind wave their truncheon about like their meditteranean counterparts who, funnily enough, seem to keep their drinking community under control.

Pretty much this..

It's the pikeys/chavs/bad drunks that do give having a couple too many a bad name. I never go out with the intention of getting drunk. I often end up a little worse for wear, absolutely. But, in other countries, wkerish behaviour is stamped on by the authorities, and not in the UK.

It is quite eye-opening to say the least; I come from Newcastle, and now live in Scottsdale, AZ. Scottsdale is a real nightlife hotspot, not unlike Newcastle. But, when walking around at 3:00am a little under the influence, it genuinely is not an intimidating place to be. There are single women walking around, groups of guys, all walking around safely.

To be fair, you're probably all just conserving the energy required to walk the eleventy billion miles to the nearest intersection

[Papoo]

Famous Graham said:

Papoo said:

Fleegle said:

Drinking gets out of hand in most countries (obviously I'm excluding the countries than ban drink even though it happens). However, you will notice that certain countries have police forces that take chavvy behavior in their stride and deal with it accordingly and the general public learn to be a little more restained.

Unfortunately, thanks to likes of shami whats her face and the likes of Liberty, our police force have to fill out a form in duplicate before they can even take their fking pencil out of their pocket, never mind wave their truncheon about like their meditteranean counterparts who, funnily enough, seem to keep their drinking community under control.

Pretty much this..

It's the pikeys/chavs/bad drunks that do give having a couple too many a bad name. I never go out with the intention of getting drunk. I often end up a little worse for wear, absolutely. But, in other countries, wkerish behaviour is stamped on by the authorities, and not in the UK.

It is quite eye-opening to say the least; I come from Newcastle, and now live in Scottsdale, AZ. Scottsdale is a real nightlife hotspot, not unlike Newcastle. But, when walking around at 3:00am a little under the influence, it genuinely is not an intimidating place to be. There are single women walking around, groups of guys, all walking around safely.

To be fair, you're probably all just conserving the energy required to walk the eleventy billion miles to the nearest intersection

Some might say you're right, old son. Fact is, you must be bloody stupid to think that anyone walks anywhere here, be it morning, noon or night. The walkers are merely looking for a 'pizza by the slice' outlet...walking home, my arse!

Edited by Papoo on Friday 16th October 02:55

[Famous Graham]

Papoo said:

Famous Graham said:

Papoo said:

Fleegle said:

Drinking gets out of hand in most countries (obviously I'm excluding the countries than ban drink even though it happens). However, you will notice that certain countries have police forces that take chavvy behavior in their stride and deal with it accordingly and the general public learn to be a little more restained.

Unfortunately, thanks to likes of shami whats her face and the likes of Liberty, our police force have to fill out a form in duplicate before they can even take their fking pencil out of their pocket, never mind wave their truncheon about like their meditteranean counterparts who, funnily enough, seem to keep their drinking community under control.

Pretty much this..

It's the pikeys/chavs/bad drunks that do give having a couple too many a bad name. I never go out with the intention of getting drunk. I often end up a little worse for wear, absolutely. But, in other countries, wkerish behaviour is stamped on by the authorities, and not in the UK.

It is quite eye-opening to say the least; I come from Newcastle, and now live in Scottsdale, AZ. Scottsdale is a real nightlife hotspot, not unlike Newcastle. But, when walking around at 3:00am a little under the influence, it genuinely is not an intimidating place to be. There are single women walking around, groups of guys, all walking around safely.

To be fair, you're probably all just conserving the energy required to walk the eleventy billion miles to the nearest intersection

Some might say you're right, old son. Fact is, you must be bloody stupid to think that anyone walks anywhere here, be it morning, noon or night. The walkers are merely looking for a 'pizza by the slice' outlet...walking home, my arse!

Get with the times:wink:

Can't say I blame you Regularly drove from 5th & something (near the street that closes off every month for art reasons near the library), to the Apple Store at the mall on the intersection on Camelback. Phoenix itself, obv, not Scottsdale.

Even that was enough to wear me out